


Down by the Sea

by PsychedelicShips



Series: My Sanders Sides one shots [7]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fantasy AU, M/M, Moceit - Freeform, Patton sneaks out, Royalty AU, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Sympathetic Morality | Patton Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25634245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychedelicShips/pseuds/PsychedelicShips
Summary: Prince Patton sneaks out of the castle to explore the city, and one night he meets a stranger on the beach.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: My Sanders Sides one shots [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846756
Comments: 1
Kudos: 38





	Down by the Sea

Prince Patton Ashdown the third of Letia did not look like a prince tonight. Instead of blue silk tunics and hand embroidered capes, he wore a simple gray cloth tunic and brown cloak, disguising his position as royalty to anyone who happened to look at him. One might ask, as Logan, Patton’s advisor-slash-guard-slash-best friend, had asked Patton every night, where he was going. Patton always answered with the same thing- “I’m going out.” The first time Logan had asked, the conversation had been much longer. 

“Your highness-“ Logan had said, interrupted by the prince. 

“Just Patton. Please.”

“Of course- Patton, you know you’re not allowed to go out while lacking an escort.”

“Yup. And that’s why I need to go.”

“I am afraid that I don’t understand. If you know you’re not allowed, why do you go?”

“I need to, Logan. Sure, an escort is there to protect me from physical harm, but I never see what the city is really like. I just ride on my horse and wave, and I never truly talk to anyone. I need to know what it’s like outside the castle if I am going to be a good king one day,” Patton turned to the tapestry that hid a secret exit and slipped through the tunnel, knowing Logan wouldn’t follow after him or tell his secret. Logan had been Patton’s best friend ever since he could remember.

When Patton reached the end of the tunnel, he stepped out onto the beach from the hidden cave. He started his usual walk up the sand into town when he saw someone else walking towards him. Pulling the hood over his head, he continued walking toward the other man. 

Suddenly the other man burst into a sprint. Patton froze, not knowing what he would do. Run? Stay there? As the man ran past him, he grabbed Patton’s arm, the decision was made for him. Patton moved to keep up with the person dragging him away from- something. 

“Who-“ Patton started to ask, but was cut off by a sharp ’ _ shh!’ _

The man pulled Patton back into the cave, and Patton suddenly became nervous. What would happen if the man found out who he was? 

“Who are you?!” Patton asked. 

“What I should be asking is who are  _ you?  _ Don’t you know not to be on the beach on a half moon?”

“Er, no, I don’t. Why shouldn’t I?” Patton admitted, feeling as if he was a toddler being scolded for stealing a cookie. 

The man gasped as if he couldn’t believe him. “What do you mean- do you not-“

Patton shook his head, sheepish. The man studied Patton for a moment, and gasped. 

“You’re not from here, are you?” 

“Um… what gave you that idea?” Patton started to panic. What would happen if this stranger found out about him? 

“Where to start? For one, your shoes are too nice. They’re made of silk and leather, and no one here has those kinds of shoes. They’re also decorated. People from here don’t have the money to waste on decorating their shoes. Also, your hair is too soft,” the man said, running a hand through Patton’s curly blond hair. “My hair is dry from the saltwater. And the last giveaway? Your cloak. It seems brand new. There’s no fraying at the seams, and definitely no patches. So that means you’re either very rich, not from around here, or both.”

“You got all that from how I look?” Patton asked in awe.

“And now your accent. You don't sound like a fisherman or anything of the sort.”

Patton could only wonder how this stranger had noticed everything about him in such a short time in a dim cave on a beach. “Are you going to tell me who you are and why you don’t know that the beach is dangerous tonight or not?” The stranger asked.

“Uh, yeah- I’m- Logan. My name is Logan.” Patton lied. Logan was the only name he could think of- he hadn’t prepared a fake name or anything, as he had never thought this situation would happen. 

“I can tell you’re lying, Prince Patton.”

“I’m not- I mean- I get that a lot, we look very similar-“ he started to panic. 

“Relax,  _ your highness.  _ It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me to hurt royalty such as yourself, now would it? Why don’t you be a good little prince and run back to your bed the same way you got here.”

“No. I can’t.”

Patton’s answer seemed to surprise the stranger. “Why not? Your silk robes are too tight?” The man quickly regained his composure and smirked at the prince.

Patton shook his head, “it’s because all I learn up there is either outdated, really filtered, or just not helpful for someone who’s going to be king one day. I know the kingdom’s major imports and exports. I know the crime rate, the population- but I don’t know the people. What do the people need? That’s why I’ve been coming here for the past month, and I plan to keep coming.”

Before the man could utter a reply, a shriek echoed through the cave. 

“Stay here!” The man ordered Patton as he drew a dagger from the folds of his cloak and pushed the vines away from the mouth of the cave. Patton, not staying where he was, followed him to the sand where a large creature was thrashing at the stranger. 

The man thrust his dagger into one of the many seaweed like tentacles, and the creature shrieked, forcing Patton to cover his ears. It retreated backwards into the water, but not before waving a tentacle at the man, a long scratch appearing on his arm. 

The man walked back to the cave where Patton still hid, pulling back the vines that shrouded the cave with his good arm, 

Patton gasped at the amount of blood that was dripping down his arm onto the white sand, staining it with red. 

“Oh my gosh, are you alright?!” Patton said, his eyes wide with concern.

“I’m fine,” he replied gruffly, taking a strip of cloth from his cape and tying it around his injury. “And that, your highness, is exactly why you don’t go to the beach tonight, when there is a half moon in the sky. Because that thing comes out to play. And it doesn’t play nice.”

“Thank you. For risking your life to protect me. I shall have to pay you back fairly,” Patton said as he leaned closer to the man. “But before I give you your payment, please tell me your name.”

The man sighed. “Fine. My name is Janus.”

Patton leaned down to kiss Janus on the cheek, and even in the darkness of the cave, Patton could see the look of shock and embarrassment on Janus’s face. 

“Thank you, your highness,” Janus said after a moment of shock had passed. Janus put a gentle hand on Patton’s cheek and leaned in. Their lips were almost touching when Janus whispered, “may I?”

In response, Patton brought their lips together. He could taste the saltwater on Janus’s chapped lips, he felt a smoothness on Janus’s mouth where a scar trailed down from his cheek- they pulled apart only to take a breath. 

“Who  _ are you,  _ Janus?” Patton giggled as they parted. 

“Perhaps if you come back tomorrow I’ll tell you,” he smirked. 

“That sounds like a deal,” Patton smiled back.

“It does, your highness. But now the sun is about to rise, so I suggest you hurry back to your castle. You don’t want to be caught, now do you?” 

“I suppose not, seeing that I want to come back to you tomorrow night. Same time and place, I presume?” 

“Of course.”

“Then I will you see you tomorrow, my love,” Patton started to walk down the tunnel at the back of the cave, smiling at Janus’s flustered look.

***

When Patton arrived at his chambers, he was alone, as usual. He changed back into his pajamas, careful to hide any evidence that he had been gone, smiling the whole time at the thought of Janus. A life in the court was so dull, so depressing. But Patton’s newfound secret gave him the energy to carry through the dreary, repetitive days.

He flopped onto his bed, pulling the blankets over him. It was only when there was a pillow muffling him that Patton allowed himself to give out a soft squeal. 

Had the events of that night really happened? Patton had been so confident in that cafe, he had felt like someone else- not the timid, soft spoken, third born prince everyone assumed would simply be married off to a distant kingdom, never to be bothered with again. No, he had felt like he could do anything when his lips had met Janus’s. 

Stifling a yawn, Patton lay his head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep, still smiling. 


End file.
